More on Blondie Haslar

My March post about Tim McCloy and China Blue caused a slight controversy when I suggetsed the OSTAR was founded on a bet for "half a crown" (two shillings and sixpence in the old UK currency, equivalent to 12.5 pence now) between Haslar and Sir Francis Chichester.

Ewen Southby-Tailyour of the Jester Challenge kindly send me a correction, below is an extract from a letter which Ewen sent to the Royal Western Yacht Club.

"By the time Chichester entered the arena Blondie had spent two years in correspondence, with, among other organisations and individuals, the Slocum Society of America, seeking sponsorship and a starting line. It is true that Chichester, in the closing months before the race, took on much of the administration but that is a very different matter: he took no part in the conception, the drafting of the rules nor, as an individual, with the 'half-crown bet'. That this wager existed was disputed by David Lewis and still is by Val Howells and if it had existed then it was not a Chichester idea (although, in two of his own books, he implies it was). Although lost in the mists it is feasible that at some point all four of them together (Lacombe had yet to declare) declared that if no sponsor could be found they would each put in a half-crown with the winner taking all - but even this is not verified by Val Howells, the soul remaining participant."

Ewen has thoroughly researched and written a book on the subject - Blondie published by Pen and Sword 1998

In my defence, my source was The Greatest Race in the World by JLR Anderson published 1964 (and which is actually about the 1964 race). On page 23 Anderson writes: "He {Chichester} saw a note by Haslar about the race on the notice board of the Royal Ocean Racing Club, and at once it fired his imagination. He got in touch with Hasler, and the two of them agreed to organise the race themselves if nobody else would - and if nobody would enter, to race each other singlehanded across the Atlantic for half-a-crown." He continues "The Haslar-Chichester partnership was undefeatable" which supports Ewen's comment that Chichester was involved with administration for the race.

It is also clear from Anderson's book that the Haslar-Chichester partnership began in 1960, equally that Haslar had been working on the idea for the race since 1956 and was engaged early on with the Solcum Society, who had written to The Guardian newspaper in 1957 promoting the idea of a race between Cowes and City Island, New York to take place in 1960. It is said that Haslar wanted the race to be run in July1958, but accepted the later date.

The idea of the race had its critics, not least on safety issues, which caused some reluctance amoung potential organisers, including the Solcum Society, and it was thanks to The Royal Western Yacht Club and The Observer that the OSTAR took place in 1960.

Given that these events took place 50 years ago, we shouldn't loose sight that all the participants and the organisers, sponsors and supporters have left yaching with a land mark legacy. I was delighted to hear from Ewen that Val Howells is still alive.

I think we can see the Chichester heritage reflected today in the likes of Ellen McArthur, Samantha Davies, Mike Golding, Alex Thompson and their peers who sail the corporate sponsored rocket ships. Equally I would suggest that the Jester Challenge represents a fine legacy to Blondie Haslar.

On a personal level I think sometimes Blondie doesn't get the recognition he deserves, which is perhaps suprising as his way of sailing has far more relevance to the vast majority of today's sailors.

For my part, I have no aspriation to offshore racing, but when Erica and I sailed from England across the Atlantic by way of West Africa, we did so in a well found, 30 year old sloop. No support organisation, no satellite communications, no watermaker, no email, just basic, reliable equipment. Of course we had GPS, our hand held set cost £90 and a set of AA batteries got us safely across the Atlantic, I thnk Blondie would have approved.

More Famous Racing Yachts

After the post about Suhaili (and I suspect a little mention from Messing About in Sailboats) my little blog received a huge increase in hits, so thank you everyone who visited and I hope you found our quiet corner of England interesting.

One of the things I like about Bursledon is the connection with the history of yachting. Just a few yards from Suhaili is China Blue of Hamble. This boat isn't quite as famous as Robin Knox-Johnston's ketch, she is from the same tradition of English Corinthian seafaring.

China Blue has been ashore for a few months, but last week I was lucky to find owner Tim hard at work getting ready for the Easter launch. She is a sister ship to Jester a reworked folkboat sailed by Blondie Haslar, which he developed for single handed sailing. Radical features were the completely enclosed accomodation (slightly reminiscent of a world war two nissan hut) and the Chinese Junk Rig. The combination of these two elements allowed the boat to be sailed from the comfort of the cabin and was a major safety feature offshore.

Jester was one of four entries in the very first OSTAR - Observer Single handed Trans Atlantic Race in 1960, legend has it that the race was founded on a bet for "half a crown" (two shillings and sixpence in the old UK currency, equivalent to 12.5 pence now) between Haslar and Sir Francis Chichester. Two other entrants, David Lewis and Val Howells joined the race, which ran from the Royal Western Yacht Club in Plymouth to New york (although subsequent OSTAR's have finished at Rhode Island). The original Jester was purchased by Mike Richey after the 1964 OSTAR and raced in subsequent OSTAR's until she was sadly lost, although Mike survived the sinking.


China Blue was built at Blyth yacht Club in the early 1980's to the same design as the original Jester.

The spirit of the original OSTAR, single handed, self sufficiency has given way over the years to huge sponsorship, huge budgets and technical sophistication. As a counter measure and to build on Blondie's original intention a new race has been formed "the Jester Challenge". In a bid to recapture the very essence of ocean voyaging, there are no entry fees, no judges, no committees, no scrutineering, and no real limits, with the exception that all boats taking part should be under 30ft.

Tim has sailed four OSTAR's himself and is preparing China Blue for the 2010 Jester Challenge. He was also unaware that Suhaili was only a few yards away and took a break from his work for a photograph by the famous yacht.

I also learned from Tim, that Blondie lived locally, just across the river in Swanwick, before moving to Bursledon and then Curbridge a small village at the top of the river.